The present invention relates to medical drapes for enclosing a patient's extremity, especially during a surgical procedure. More specifically, the present invention relates preferably to surgical drapes which enclose that portion of a patient's limb which is undergoing a surgical procedure to collect and drain fluids during a surgical procedure.
During a surgical procedure on an arm or leg, fluids often must be collected that are developed during the procedure. For example, sterile irrigation fluids are often used to clean a wound or remove foreign matter from the wound. During irrigation a significant amount of the material will splash onto the physician and/or the assistants. The patient's blood, which may be contaminated, also must be collected and prevented from contaminating the physician and/or the assistants.
In addition, during wound treatment, in general it is desirable to collect fluids that may develop during wound treatment and/or during patient recovery and prevent contamination thereby.
It is desirable to provide an effective means to collect and drain fluids which are developed during a surgical procedure on a patent's extremity, and during wound treatment in general, without contaminating personnel, including the physician and/or the physician's assistants during a surgical procedure, and to do so in an effective and convenient way.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a medical drape that encloses a patient's extremity during a surgical procedure, or during wound treatment and patient recovery in general.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surgical drape as aforesaid which collects and dispenses fluids for disposal that are developed in a surgical procedure, or wound treatment in general, in a safe, effective and convenient way.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a medical or surgical drape as aforesaid wherein the wound fluids and surgical fluids are readily collected and may be fully and completely disposed of, all in a safe and effective way.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.